Meta: Tuckerizations and Character Names

[Tom Russell]

Martin Phipps wrote:

> Thing is Tom, I don't see the difference between me using the name
> Willey for a throwaway villain and Jaelle using the name Phipps for
> Appallingly Tasteless Man.

This reminds me of a discussion that comes up, from time to time, on
the Ditko Yahoo! Discussion Group, Ditko-L.  The discussion goes
something like this:

"Dude, howcum Ditko doesn't do interviews?"
"Because he doesn't want to."
"But Jack Kirby did interviews."
"That's Jack Kirby."
"Yeah, but if Jack Kirby did it, I don't see why Ditko doesn't.  He's
just being obstinate."

Jesse doesn't want to be Tuckerized.  Now, do I think he's making too
big a deal of this?  Yes.  But that's because Tuckerizations don't
bother me.   And they don't bother you, or the majority of people on
RACC.

But they do bother Jesse.

And that's the difference-- not in the way the name was used, but in
the actual person whose name was used.  If you don't feel you've done
anything wrong, that's fine: don't apologize for the Tuckerization.

But you could apologize for hurting his feelings, and Jesse could stop
insulting you and apologize for dragging this whole mess into the
public sphere.  It's fine if he wants to explain why he's leaving RACC,
but the actual details of his initial post are more likely than not
details of private correspondance.  And I think Jesse should apologize
for that-- or, if he feels he's done nothing wrong, he can apologize
for insulting you.

You're both very strong-willed and you both have a tendency to... how
do I put this delicately?

> Jack Willey on him?  Did I make a mistake when I took the name Willy
> and changed it to the known family name Willey?  Apparently.

Ah.  You're both likely to use dubious arguments to protest your
innocence, and you're both likely to represent yourself as the offended
party-- even when you're the one who's done the offending (such as the
whole Omega Flame Wars thing, Martin-- and ninety-percent of all flame
wars you participate in, Jesse).

In this case, you both gave offense and you both are the offended
parties-- a unique circumstance, I think, in RACC history.  So, both of
you be the bigger man and give a mea culpa.  If neither of you can
apologize for what you've done, than apologize for the hurt you've
caused each other.

And, let's be honest, Martin-- while it's true that Willey is a family
name, you _knew_ it was Jesse's family name.  It goes beyond
coincidence.  Maybe you really are that absent-minded that it never
occured to you that there's a Willey on RACC during the time you were
writing that story-- but I'd like to think you're smarter than that
gives you credit for.

==Tom